Method and device for stabilizing a patient's head on a spine board

Abstract

A device for stabilizing a patient's head on a spine board while allowing longitudinal and rotational movement in conjunction with the body and a method of use for the device are disclosed. The device is comprised of a head harness, a forehead strap, a chin strap, a crown strap and a lateral stabilization strap. The head harness has a skid plate, located on the side of the head harness that rests on a spine board, that is adapted for low friction engagement with the spine board. A patient in a cervical collar is placed on a spine board, the head harness is positioned beneath the patient's head and attached to the spine board. The forehead strap, chin strap, and crown strap are attached to the head harness. The lateral stabilization strap is then attached to the head harness and the attaching straps.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 421,891, entitled Immobilization Device and Method to Safely Permit Transportation of Accident Victims, filed Oct. 28, 2002.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The current invention is related to head or cervical immobilization devices and apparatus. Particularly, the current invention discloses a device to minimize or eliminate the potential for additional injury, during transportation, to a person who suffered traumatic injury to the head, neck or spine region. The device restricts lateral and elevating movement but allows the head to move with the body longitudinally up and down a rigid spine board or rotate off axis longitudinally in direct conjunction with the body. A method of use for the device is also disclosed.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]When a person receives a traumatic injury, the person's survival often depends upon rapid attention from emergency medi...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013]Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a device that minimizes or eliminates the potential for additional injury during transportation by stabilizing the head of a patient on a spine board in a manner that restricts lateral and elevating movement, while allowing the head to move with the body longitudinally up and down the spine board.

[0014]It is a further object of this invention to provide such a device that allows the head to rotate off axis longitudinally in direct conjunction with the patient's body.

[0016]A yet further object of the current invention is to provide such a device that easy to use.

[0017]A still further object of the current invention is to provide such a device that gives the patient the maximum possible comfort during transportation.

[0018]Another object of the current invention is to provide such a device that is relatively inexpensive.

[0027]Once the patient is further secured to the spine board, transportation to the hospital can begin. The device of the current invention serves to minimize or eliminate the potential for further injury by stabilizing the patient's head on the spine board. Lateral and elevating movement of the head are prevented by the device, while the patient's head can move longitudinally and rotate off of the longitudinal axis in conjunction with the body.

Problems solved by technology

If the spine is damaged, the very act of moving the patient may exacerbate the problem and lead to more extensive spinal injury.

Without radiographs, it is impossible to determine the extent, if any, of damage.

In the past, there has been some controversy over the best way to treat these injuries prior to transport.

Although the head can move slightly longitudinally relative to the device, the device cannot move relative to the spine board.

Sheidel also discloses the use of a contoured head pad, but it does not conform to the patient's head when the straps are secured.

The device disclosed in Basha has a large surface area providing high friction between it and the spine board when it is secured to the spine board by elastic straps.

Therefore, it is unlikely that the device of Basha would move as the patient's body normally shifts slightly during transport.

Such material is not very slippery and would probably not readily move relative to the board.

While the devices of the prior art work to completely immobilize the head of a patient during transportation to a medical facility, they do not address the inevitable resulting compression of the cervical spine when the body of the patient shifts during transportation to such a facility.

Failure to address such compression can cause unnecessary pain to a patient as his or her body shifts during such transportation, it can further exacerbate an already existing injury, or in the worst case, it could cause an injury to a previously uninjured patient who is strapped to a spine board as a precautionary measure.

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